Google rolls out ‘Android Oreo’ operating system. Know features

San Francisco:The next version of Google’s mobile operating system ‘Android Oreo’ that has been rolled out in the US is packed with never-before-seen features and improvements in its various tools.

‘Android Oreo’ features a new picture-in-picture mode, new notification dots to the Operating System (OS) and improvements to Bluetooth audio playback, Google’s Android website posted in a blog on Tuesday.

Recently-launched premium smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ and HTC U11 are expected to see the software updates before the end of this year.

Around 85 per cent of Android devices used, according to the latest numbers, have not upgraded to Android Nougat that was released last year.

The new Android OS was released in conjunction with the 2017 solar eclipse.

The update is currently undergoing carrier testing for Pixel phones and the Nexus 5X and 6P.

The new OS is expected to be two times faster than ‘Nougat’ and also helps minimise background activity in the apps that are used less.

‘Android Oreo’ lets a user see two apps at once and makes multitasking convenient.

For example, if you are watching a video on YouTube and have to respond to an email simultaneously, all you need to do is press the home button and that will shrink the video tab to a corner while you write a response.

The feature is called picture-in-picture (PIP), and it’s already available in Samsung Galaxy phone and Moto Z2 Play.

‘Android Oreo’ also makes copy-paste job easier. A user would just need to long press or double-tap anywhere on the text to select it.

On the security front, Android Oreo makes the scan of apps more obvious while downloading them to ensure a user that they are safe to use. It also auto-connects a the phone to a high quality open Wi-Fi and secures the connection with a VPN back to Google.

Oreo’s accessibility button allows users to quickly access from the navigation bar accessibility features, like magnification, and functionality within accessibility services, like ‘Select to Speak’.